1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to medical treatment systems, and, more particularly, to such systems designed for providing emergency medical care.
2. Description of the Related Art
When an individual becomes incapacitated or unconscious during a medical emergency, the medical personnel who arrive to give medical treatment are often unaware of the individual""s medical condition or medical history. In some instances, a medical identification card carried by the individual or someone who knows the individual may be present to provide some useful information to the medical personnel. Unfortunately, these cards and individuals may not always be available or may provide insufficient information.
Hospitals and medical clinics have been using local area networks to record and review medical files for their patients. Recently, wide area networks have been also developed which enable individuals to record their exercise activities, eating habits, and medical information on a central server connected to the network. Such systems are especially useful because users are able to upload and download information from the network from any location in the region capable of being connected to a wired or wireless telephone network. Such systems have been disclosed in U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 09/619,132, 09/645,461, and 60/248,982.
What is needed is ann emergency medical treatment system designed to allow authorized healthcare personnel to quickly review a patient""s medical information stored on the wide area network from any location in a region.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved emergency medical treatment system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide such a system that provides medical information for users who subscribe to a single, comprehensive medical information storage system that enables authorized medical personnel located over a large region to quickly and easily download the user""s medical information.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a system that uses currently available technology thereby expediting the system""s implementation.
These and other objects are met by an emergency medical treatment system disclosed herein designed to allow a subscriber to store health parameter information that emergency medical personnel can quickly access.
The system includes a wireless communication unit that receives health parameter information and then stores it in memory or transmits it to a central computer connected to a wide area network. In one embodiment, the wireless communication unit is coupled to at least one physiological parameter measurement means attached to the subscriber that accurately measures a desired physiological parameter of a subscriber, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, body temperature, etc. In the preferred embodiment, the wireless communication unit is a data-communication enabled wireless telephone capable of connecting to a wireless communication network. Each wireless communication unit may also include or may be coupled to an optional physical location means used to establish the subscriber""s exact physical location at any time in the region when the health parameter information is received by the unit. The wireless communication network is connected to a wide area computer network so that the wireless communication unit is able to connect to a central computer connected to the wide area computer network. The physiological parameter measurement means may be worn or carried by the subscriber during selected periods or activities during the day or it may be worn or carried continuously throughout the entire day, so that the subscriber""s physiological parameter information may be immediately or intermittently processed and transmitted to the central computer through the wide area computer network. When the central computer receives the time, date, location, and physiological parameter information, it is stored in the subscriber""s medical database file. During use, the subscriber""s medical database file is constantly updated, thereby creating both current and historical medical information. The data in the subscriber""s medical database file can be downloaded from the central computer by the subscriber or other authorized individuals capable of connecting to the wide area network. Not only can authorized individuals evaluate the subscriber""s current and historical medical information if the subscriber is incapacitated during a medical emergency, but also enables them to identify events or situations that occurred simultaneously with the changes to the subscriber""s physiological parameter information.
Loaded into the memory of the central computer or in a second computer connected to or in communication with the central computer is a health information recording software program that is used to set up the subscriber""s medical database file and the permission file, and collect data from the physiological parameter measurement means, and to process requests for data from the subscriber""s medical database file. During use, the subscriber controls and monitors which individuals are downloading information from the subscriber""s medical database file. During use, the subscriber""s authorization file creates a logbook and calendar for authorized individuals who download information. When initially setting up the program, the subscriber may give his or her physician or local area hospital personnel xe2x80x9cblanketxe2x80x9d permission to download the information from the user""s medical database file.
In another embodiment, the health information recording software and the medical database and authorized user files are stored in memory on the wireless communication unit.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.